Victor Nhat Nguyen
Well-known member
Most people argues that the Schoeps cmc641 is the best interior mic. But if I use sennheiser mkh40 or mkh50, would anyone be able to tell which is better after post?
On set or in in post?
- Thread starter Victor Nhat Nguyen
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Noiz2
Sound Ninja
"best" is really not The right word. There are a number of mics that fall in The "generally chosen by professionals" category. The most critical element in production sound is who is doing it. Post can't really "fix" mic problems and it's not going to make lousy production sound like good production.
That said The vast majority of viewers couldn't tell The difference between mics if they are recorded well. And really very very few folks might be able to identify a mic by it's sound with out knowing how the recording was made.
That said The vast majority of viewers couldn't tell The difference between mics if they are recorded well. And really very very few folks might be able to identify a mic by it's sound with out knowing how the recording was made.
Victor Nhat Nguyen
Well-known member
So you're telling me that even though sound guys will argue Schoeps vs Sennheisers all day, most will not be able to tell the difference after post?
After post, what remains resembles very little of what came from production. After EQ and compression, effects editing, and music, it's a very different beast. This is the same reason that PSMs don't generally have "reels" to speak of, because post does so much to the sound that there's not much to judge from the set/location.
David W. Jones
Veteran
I agree with both Scott and Alex.
And if it came down to it, I would much rather work with audio from a properly placed $200 microphone, than audio from a poorly placed $2000 microphone.
And if it came down to it, I would much rather work with audio from a properly placed $200 microphone, than audio from a poorly placed $2000 microphone.
If trying out mics in the high end you might want to also try out neumann 185 and 150 (185 can be had in the $600 or less used, new $900ish)(some very experienced psm like them better than schoeps or mkh). Also if buying schoeps new you should look at the ccm line (the extra dollars to shave some ounces might be worth it to your back, but maybe not). Scott, Alex, and David are all much more knowledgeable than me, but from my limited experience nobody hiring you will know the difference or care if you use any of these mics mentioned above. Like David and others have said I'd rather have a properly placed $75 (ebay) me80 than a improperly placed cmit taped to a paint pole. It all comes down to what fits your needs, and your personal preference, and budgetary requirements. All these mics have strengths and weakness but all will get the job done barring unusual circumstances (rf, humidity, using them to hammer nails).
Noiz2
Sound Ninja
As Alex pointed out "after post" is not the way to look at it. A great editor and mixer can really make good tracks shine and bad ones can make diamonds into coal.
The reason to use the best, cleanest mic you can in production is because whatever production captures is pretty much as good as it gets. Everything from then on is a subtractive process in terms of the production tracks.
IF you are going to do a full sound post (lots of tracks and intense production editing, full background replacements, FX and Foley, etc.) then some flaws can get masked so some "problems" can be made to disappear, but the quality of the dialog is still VERY dependant on the quality of the production recordings.
If you are good and know what you are doing then an expensive mic is probably worth it because you will get that quality in the tracks. If you have an inexperienced boom op and a maybe slightly experienced mixer then probably they don't get the added quality in the recording. Plus professional tools are often trickier to use optimally, so with an inexperienced crew you may well get better results with less expensive gear because it's more forgiving.
The other factor is IF you do it for a living you are expected to bring a certain level of equipment to the shoot. If you have the experience and the track record you can get away with anything, as long as the results hold up. But you better be ready to defend your choices. If you are wiring Robert DeNiro up with an Azden wireless you better have a good explanation ready and be getting spectacular tracks.
Results rule, in the professional realm. I know FX better than production. Many films have used FX recorded on Sony Walkman DAT's, I know a major film that used a lot of recordings done with a Sony cassette and a Sony stereo mic. Bothe very consumer but in the right hands they won an Oscar for sound.
Personally I would upgrade you mic pre before upgrading the mic (assuming both are starting out at some consumer level). Something like a MixPre will make a significant improvement in the recordings of a less than great mic on to a less than great recorder. Upgrading the mic won't make as big a difference unless the pre and recorder are also of a better quality.